PMC to now demolish Sadhu Vaswani ROB in March

The new plan is such that commuters will not face any traffic congestion. We will experiment with alternative routes for 10 to 15 days. Thereafter, the traffic changes will be finalised, says official

While the Sadhu Vaswani railway overbridge (ROB) – which links Koregaon Park with Pune Camp – was initially to be demolished in February, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has now set March as the new deadline for demolition of the ROB.

Reason being that the traffic changes implemented since January 6 in light of the earlier (February) deadline for demolition of the overbridge did not work out well and proved to be impractical, forcing the traffic police to nix them in favour of the original traffic pattern. (HT FILE)

Reason being that the traffic changes implemented since January 6 in light of the earlier (February) deadline for demolition of the overbridge did not work out well and proved to be impractical, forcing the traffic police to nix them in favour of the original traffic pattern.

Abhijit Ambekar, executive engineer of the PMC project department, said, “The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) buses were affected by the traffic changes. Hence, we discussed with the PMPML and revised the bus routes. The PMPML has now given its nod to a new traffic plan. Next week, we will implement a new traffic diversion plan on an experimental basis. It will take more than a week to regularise. After that, we will start the demolition work in March.”

Rajkumar Shere, inspector of the traffic police department, said, “Following discussions with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and PMPML, the traffic department has made minor changes in the earlier traffic diversion plan. On Wednesday, we held a meeting with PMPML officials and showed them the new traffic diversion plan which they cleared. The new plan is such that commuters will not face any traffic congestion. We will experiment with alternative routes for 10 to 15 days. Thereafter, the traffic changes will be finalised.”

Earlier, the Pune Metropolitan Transport Planning Committee had discussed the idea of increasing the length of the Sadhu Vaswani ROB to ease traffic at the New Circuit House entrance. There was even a proposal to extend the ROB and reroute traffic from Shangri La Garden Chowk to Empress Garden via a flyover for those headed to Parnakuti Chowk. However, nothing was finalised.